Foreign Cinema (2534 Mission Street) is a giant among San Francisco restaurants, one of the best known hangouts and a favorite for brunch. It’s cool, chic and sophisticated but somehow laid-back and casual as well. It’s also one of the absolute best places in the city to go with a date. There are literally dozens of reasons for this, but here are five to convince you.

It is, After All, a Cinema

As the name suggests, Foreign Cinema does in fact play movies, specializing in vintage icons like East of Eden and more modern indie hits like Great Gatsby. In fact, the whole venue evokes the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood, with high ceilings and classic cocktails.

The Vibe is Wonderfully Romantic

It often feels like every customer at Foreign Cinema is on a date. Certainly everyone’s dressed the part. The atmosphere is also unmistakably romantic, with glowing string lights and candle-lit tables.

The Cocktails Are Sweet and Creative

The movie-themed cocktails are great for sweetening the mood and getting to know each other. There are also plenty of craft beers, a large selection of European wines and just about any liquor one could ask for. Pair a special drink with bar bites like duck cracklings, truffled popcorn or Dijon pork belly.

The Dinner Menu is Sublime

There’s plenty of space for dining, and the creativity extends to the menu. There’s something for practically any mood — oysters, cured sardines, fried chicken, beef carpaccio, ahi tuna tartare, duck with candy cap mushrooms, chocolate pot de crème and so on. And, better yet, there’s a space for every mood too. Diners have a choice of outdoor seating on a patio (where movies are screened against the back wall), a rustic indoor dining room with exposed brick walls and a fireplace, or even private rooms.

It’s a Venue for All Ages

Perhaps increasingly rare among the “hip” bars and restaurants of San Francisco is an indiscriminately welcoming vibe, attracting young and old alike. And it’s in this that Foreign Cinema excels, and not by accident. In fact, it’s almost a family-run business, with the owner Gayle’s elderly father known to help out from time to time. In other words, Foreign Cinema is an all-under-one-roof date hot spot for young and old alike — somewhere to grab a drink, enjoy a gorgeous meal, watch a classic movie and even look at some art.